How to Reconnect With Your Vision, Stay Motivated & Cross the Finish Line

Most people want to be successful and to be happy and everyone has a vision of how their ideal life would be. 

But life is a game of distraction. Everyday life events pull at our attention and we end up losing sight of the things that really matter or even worse we  sometimes deliberately distract ourselves with other things. As a result some of us end up tangled in places where we do not know how we got there and how to get out of. 

The main reason why we lose sight of our vision and the things that really matter is lack of clarity around our “what, why, and how.” 

Sometimes this lack of clarity lies in our inability to find reasons to get started. Sometimes we are unclear about the direction and other times we are just uncertain whether the action steps we are taking  will  lead to results.

This is why it is necessary to identify the glitch so that you can find the proper solutions. In other words, once you determine what it is that you need clarity on, you can get started on doing the work!

Getting Started on Your Vision Quest

The most important step in reconnecting with your vision is to get specific and personal with it.

A detailed vision is one that helps you stay focused and an exclusive vision is one that satisfies your deepest values. These two will ensure  that you are in  alignment with your long-term vision and you actually enjoy working toward achieving it. This could be challenging if you have spent little time learning about yourself to know exactly why certains things are important to you in life and what choices you need to make in order to support those things that are of importance.

Once you have a clear picture, explore  the possible ways you can bring this picture to life. Depending on your specific case, this may  require you to reachout to someone with more experience and knowledge in the field to assess the feasibility of each possible path. 

Spend time to make a list of the pros and cons for each option. List the reasons why you would choose one over the other.

When choosing a direction consider getting clear on :

• The things you consider a requirement. 
• The things that you are willing to compromise and let go of.
• The things you need to be, to do, and to have in order to make progress in that direction. 
• The things that might get in the way of you achieving your desired outcome. 
• The things that are  needed from you to ensure that you can work through any possible challenges.

Once you make a decision:

• Commit to it physically, mentally, and emotionally.
• Get real with where you are today and create a timeline for yourself.
• Set measurable (clearcut, simple, short-term) objectives  to help you track your progress.
• Improve your relationship with your responsibilities. This can be done by establishing a “structure” as a base to act from and further incorporating a “system” to  create more certainty around your steps. For instance, dedicating ⅓ of your workout routine to cardio, ⅓ to core and  ⅓ to lifting weights (structure) and doing 3 sets of 15 reps in each section (system).
• Learn to be consistent by following “rituals” and “routines”. For instance, starting your day with a 15 minute walk (ritual) or splitting your day between morning activities and evening activities with a power nap in between(routine).
• Consistency leads to productivity and productivity creates motivation.
• To maintain productivity for long stretches  of time set aside portions of your time to regulate your feelings and emotion.
• Tap into your internal and external sources of motivation:
  • Internal Motivation comes from within you, meaning you have control over it and that it has the potential to become consistent. This type of motivation usually activates a forward motion and helps you build momentum. 
  • External Motivation is dependent on outside sources. It is subject to change and not entirely within your control. This type of motivation usually has an immediate effect, however it does not last for long.

                    While both are necessary, the first can give us the second but the second cannot guarantee the first.

So it's useful to: 

1. Imagine living the vision.
2. Imagine your future after accomplishing this vision and what your life would look like. 
3. Review your steps and make necessary adjustments by evaluating  your actions.

It is helpful to ask yourself: 

• Why are you taking  this step? 
• How will this step dovetail with  other steps and support your vision? 
• What is it that you hope to get out of it? 
• If you were to achieve a result, what would the outcome look like? 

Pull yourself out of focusing on what the current situation is and what it is not. Instead focus on what you can do to work toward your goal and to change the things you do not like. 

Examine your mistakes and look for learning opportunities. Ask yourself what could you do better next time?

Recognize how far you’ve come and take time to celebrate your victories. No matter how small.  

Stay the course because the finish line is right around the corner.

Contact me with your comments or questions!